After punishment handed down, it’s time to move past Marcus Smart’s shove

By Rob DausterFeb 9, 2014, 7:32 PM EST

The axes fell on Sunday evening.

Marcus Smart will be suspended for three games for shoving a fan late in Saturday night’s loss at Texas Tech. That fan, Jeff Orr, has voluntarily agreed to not attend any Texas Tech basketball games for the rest of the year.

And at this point, it is time to move on.

We have to move on.

Because we are never going to know what actually transpired between Smart and Orr. We are never actually going to know what Orr said and we’re never going to know what Smart actually heard.

After the incident, Smart could reportedly be heard on the court telling his bench that the fan had used a racial slur directed at him. Smart did not address what was said to him in the statement that he gave to the press at a press conference on Sunday, and Oklahoma State head coach Travis Ford said, simply, “We’re not going to get into that. That’s something that I don’t even want to comment on.”

Orr “vehemently” denied in a statement released by Texas Tech that he did not use a racial slur when yelling at Smart. He claims he called him a “piece of crap”, and in a video that the university released along with that statement, someone can be heard yelling “piece of crap” right before Smart’s reaction.

Was it Orr that actually said “piece of crap”? Was that all he said? There is plenty of noise in the background of the video, which makes it easy to be skeptical about the clarity of what Orr is purported to have said. Could this have been a case of mistaken identity?

Along those same lines, it’s fair to question Smart’s actions as well. Did he actually hear someone use a racial slur? Did he simply react to Orr yelling at him, and say that he heard the slur to try and defend himself? Was this as simple as Orr yelling one thing and, in the craziness of the final seconds of a college basketball game, Smart hearing another?

You don’t know the answer to any of those questions. Neither do I. The only people that actually do are Smart and Orr.

The bottom line?

Both of these men were in the wrong.

As I wrote last night, Smart crossed a line that absolutely cannot be crossed. An athlete can never, EVER put his hands on a fan in that situation, regardless of what was said to him. I can guarantee that even if Smart did get called the N-word on Saturday that it is not the first time some vile, disgusting person that bought a ticket* to a game said that to him. To the best of my knowledge, he’s never lashed out at people in the stands before. He allowed his emotions and his frustrations from a disappointing season to get the best of him, and he’s learning in a very public way that it cannot happen.

“This is not how I [conduct] myself,” Smart said. “This is not how this program is run. This is not how I was raised. I let my emotions get the best of me. This is something that I have to learn from, the consequences that are coming with it.”

“I’m taking full responsibility, this is all upon me. No finger pointing.”

*(I refuse to use the word “fan” in that case.)

Orr may come off looking worse here. A man in his 50s screaming anything at a college sophomore playing a game is somewhat pathetic, especially when it comes at the end of a game that Texas Tech had all but locked up. He may not be a racist — which is a fact that many are going to ignore in this case — but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he isn’t an idiot.

And that’s why he’ll be missing the rest of Tech’s basketball games this season.

So can we leave it at that?

A 20-year old with a temper and a competitive streak that gets the best of him when he loses lost control of his emotions in a season that has been as trying as any that he’s experienced. A fan got caught up in the moment and yelled something at a player that he never expected the player to actually hear or react to.

It doesn’t make Smart a bad person. Assuming that he didn’t use a slur, it doesn’t make Orr a bad person.

We all have moments that we regret, that we have to learn from.

Few of us have those moments play out live on national television before spending a couple of days rolling through the 24/7 news cycle that twitter and the internet has created.

As soon as I’m done writing this article, I’ll stop caring about Orr.

But for Smart, this may be just what he needed. He’s been a bit frustrating to watch this season. Between the horrid shot selection, the way he whines about calls and the way that he’s reacted to losses, this season hasn’t always been flattering for him.

He needed a wake-up call, and he got it.

Biden celebrates LSU women’s and UConn men’s basketball teams at separate White House events

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 11:56 PM EDT

Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

WASHINGTON – All of the past drama and sore feelings associated with Louisiana State’s invitation to the White House were seemingly forgotten or set aside Friday as President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed the championship women’s basketball team to the mansion with smiles, hugs and lavish praise all around.

The visit had once appeared in jeopardy after Jill Biden suggested that the losing Iowa team be invited, too. But none of that was mentioned as both Bidens heralded the players for their performance and the way they have helped advance women’s sports.

“Folks, we witnessed history,” the president said. “In this team, we saw hope, we saw pride and we saw purpose. It matters.”

The ceremony was halted for about 10 minutes after forward Sa’Myah Smith appeared to collapse as she and her teammates stood behind Biden. A wheelchair was brought in and coach Kim Mulkey assured the audience that Smith was fine.

LSU said in a statement that Smith felt overheated, nauseous and thought she might faint. She was evaluated by LSU and White House medical staff and was later able to rejoin the team. “She is feeling well, in good spirits, and will undergo further evaluation once back in Baton Rouge,” the LSU statement said.

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, Biden said, more than half of all college students are women, and there are now 10 times more female athletes in college and high school. He said most sports stories are still about men, and that that needs to change.

Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and activities.

“Folks, we need to support women sports, not just during the championship run but during the entire year,” President Biden said.

After the Tigers beat Iowa for the NCAA title in April in a game the first lady attended, she caused an uproar by suggesting that the Hawkeyes also come to the White House.

LSU star Angel Reese called the idea “A JOKE” and said she would prefer to visit with former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, instead. The LSU team largely is Black, while Iowa’s top player, Caitlin Clark, is white, as are most of her teammates.

Nothing came of Jill Biden’s idea and the White House only invited the Tigers. Reese ultimately said she would not skip the White House visit. She and co-captain Emily Ward presented team jerseys bearing the number “46” to Biden and the first lady. Hugs were exchanged.

Jill Biden also lavished praise on the team, saying the players showed “what it means to be a champion.”

“In this room, I see the absolute best of the best,” she said, adding that watching them play was “pure magic.”

“Every basket was pure joy and I kept thinking about how far women’s sports have come,” the first lady added, noting that she grew up before Title IX was passed. “We’ve made so much progress and we still have so much more work to do.”

The president added that “the way in which women’s sports has come along is just incredible. It’s really neat to see, since I’ve got four granddaughters.”

After Smith was helped to a wheelchair, Mulkey told the audience the player was OK.

“As you can see, we leave our mark where we go,” Mulkey joked. “Sa’Myah is fine. She’s kind of, right now, embarrassed.”

A few members of Congress and Biden aides past and present with Louisiana roots dropped what they were doing to attend the East Room event, including White House budget director Shalanda Young. Young is in the thick of negotiations with House Republicans to reach a deal by the middle of next week to stave off what would be a globally calamitous U.S. financial default if the U.S. can no longer borrow the money it needs to pay its bills.

The president, who wore a necktie in the shade of LSU’s purple, said Young, who grew up in Baton Rouge, told him, “I’m leaving the talks to be here.” Rep. Garret Graves, one of the House GOP negotiators, also attended.

Biden closed sports Friday by changing to a blue tie and welcoming the UConn’s men’s championship team for its own celebration. The Huskies won their fifth national title by defeating San Diego State, 76-59, in April.

“Congratulations to the whole UConn nation,” he said.

Marquette’s Prosper says he will stay in draft rather than returning to school

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 7:08 PM EDT

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

MILWAUKEE — Olivier-Maxence Prosper announced he is keeping his name under NBA draft consideration rather than returning to Marquette.

The 6-foot-8 forward announced his decision.

“Thank you Marquette nation, my coaches, my teammates and support staff for embracing me from day one,” Prosper said in an Instagram post. “My time at Marquette has been incredible. With that being said, I will remain in the 2023 NBA Draft. I’m excited for what comes next. On to the next chapter…”

Prosper had announced last month he was entering the draft. He still could have returned to school and maintained his college eligibility by withdrawing from the draft by May 31. Prosper’s announcement indicates he instead is going ahead with his plans to turn pro.

Prosper averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds last season while helping Marquette go 29-7 and win the Big East’s regular-season and tournament titles. Marquette’s season ended with a 69-60 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

He played two seasons at Marquette after transferring from Clemson, where he spent one season.

Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr. returning for last season of eligibility

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:18 PM EDT

Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAY Sports

Kevin McCullar Jr. said that he will return to Kansas for his final year of eligibility, likely rounding out a roster that could make the Jayhawks the preseason No. 1 next season.

McCullar transferred from Texas Tech to Kansas for last season, when he started 33 of 34 games and averaged 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. He was also among the nation’s leaders in steals, and along with being selected to the Big 12’s all-defensive team, the 6-foot-6 forward was a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.

“To be able to play in front of the best fans in the country; to play for the best coach in the nation, I truly believe we have the pieces to hang another banner in the Phog,” McCullar said in announcing his return.

Along with McCullar, the Jayhawks return starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams from a team that went 28–8, won the Big 12 regular-season title and was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to Arkansas in the second round.

Perhaps more importantly, the Jayhawks landed Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson, widely considered the best player in the portal, to anchor a lineup that was missing a true big man. They also grabbed former five-star prospect Arterio Morris, who left Texas, and Towson’s Nick Timberlake, who emerged last season as one of the best 3-point shooters in the country.

The Jayhawks also have an elite recruiting class arriving that is headlined by five-star recruit Elmarko Jackson.

McCullar declared for the draft but, after getting feedback from scouts, decided to return. He was a redshirt senior last season, but he has another year of eligibility because part of his career was played during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a big day for Kansas basketball,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “Kevin is not only a terrific player but a terrific teammate. He fit in so well in year one and we’re excited about what he’ll do with our program from a leadership standpoint.”

Clemson leading scorer Hall withdraws from NBA draft, returns to Tigers

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:15 PM EDT

Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson leading scorer PJ Hall is returning to college after withdrawing from the NBA draft on Thursday.

The 6-foot-10 forward took part in the NBA combine and posted his decision to put off the pros on social media.

Hall led the Tigers with 15.3 points per game this past season. He also led the Tigers with 37 blocks, along with 5.7 rebounds. Hall helped Clemson finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference while posting a program-record 14 league wins.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell said Hall gained experience from going through the NBA’s combine that will help the team next season. “I’m counting on him and others to help lead a very talented group,” he said.

Hall was named to the all-ACC third team last season as the Tigers went 23-10.

George Washington adopts new name ‘Revolutionaries’ to replace ‘Colonials’

Associated PressMay 24, 2023, 7:12 PM EDT

Getty Images

WASHINGTON — George Washington University’s sports teams will now be known as the Revolutionaries, the school announced.

Revolutionaries replaces Colonials, which had been GW’s name since 1926. Officials made the decision last year to drop the old name after determining it no longer unified the community.

GW said 8,000 different names were suggested and 47,000 points of feedback made during the 12-month process. Revolutionaries won out over the other final choices of Ambassadors, Blue Fog and Sentinels.

“I am very grateful for the active engagement of our community throughout the development of the new moniker,” president Mark S. Wrighton said. “This process was truly driven by our students, faculty, staff and alumni, and the result is a moniker that broadly reflects our community – and our distinguished and distinguishable GW spirit.”

George the mascot will stay and a new logo developed soon for the Revolutionaries name that takes effect for the 2023-24 school year. The university is part of the Atlantic 10 Conference.